1945–1955: The Red-White-Red Broadcaster

After 1945, each of the occupying powers maintained a radio station under its own control: The Sendergruppe West in Tyrol and Vorarlberg was controlled by the French, Alpenland in Styria and Carinthia by the British, and Radio Wien and the state-run Radio Verkehrs AG (RAVAG) in the east by the Soviets.

Although Red-White-Red (RWR) was under US control, even the propaganda show Amerika ruft Österreich! proceeded in a cautious manner. Rather, it was the new style influenced by American role models that quickly made the station popular. Numerous broadcasting formats unknown at the time were presented here for the first time to an Austrian public otherwise accustomed to traditional, didactic programmes. Many artists, hosts and authors who would later influence Austrian’s cultural life and media, began their careers in the RWR studios: Ingeborg Bachmann (1926–1973), Gerhard Bronner (1922–2007), Jörg Mauthe (1924–1986) and Helmut Qualtinger (1928–1986).

Immediately after the signing of the State Treaty in 1955, the broadcaster had to cancel its programme. The Austrian government did not tolerate any broadcasters other than the state-run RAVAG.

External Resources (in German only):

https://www.mediathek.at/staatsvertrag/radio/radio-rot-weiss-rot/

Sendergruppe West: Eine Musiksendung aus dem Studio Dornbirn der Sendergruppe West. https://www.mediathek.at/staatsvertrag/suche/detail/atom/1330774B-32D-0010A-000006B0-132FA736/pool/BWEB/

Sendegruppe Alpenland, Hinweis auf die britische Sendergruppe Alpenland mit ihren Stationen Graz, Klagenfurt, und Schönbrunn. Schulfunksendung der Sendergruppe Alpenland, Studio Klagenfurt: https://www.mediathek.at/staatsvertrag/suche/detail/atom/1330755A-337-00106-000006B0-132FA736/pool/BWEB/